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A-League Preview: Phoenix v Melbourne City

It’s do or die in Wellington for two teams who come into the Finals Series in erratic form. It all makes for an intriguing Elimination Final as Phoenix and City's seasons go on the line on Sunday at Westpac Stadium.

Between them, they’ve won only two of their last ten matches and
have scored just four goals each in those games.

The last two meetings between these two have finished goal-less.
Last time City visited Wellington they employed noticeably physical
tactics at the Hutt Recreation Ground, committing 22 fouls,
collecting six yellow cards and drawing the ire of Phoenix coach
Ernie Merrick.

It worked though as Melbourne left with a point – far preferable
to the 5-1 drubbing they received in Wellington in round eight.

In the absence of any recent form to speak of, both sides will need
to rely on confidence and experience, rather than momentum. Phoenix
skipper Andrew Durante and midfielder Michael McGlinchey have
championship medals in their collections with their previous clubs
and will be looked to for inspiration and guidance in this must-win
match.

For the visitors, Erik Paartalu and Massimo Murdocca can provide
similar experience from their title-winning exploits with Brisbane
Roar.

Opta Data stats

The Phoenix are making their fourth Finals Series appearance,
while Melbourne City are involved for just the second time. In
their only previous Finals match, City (then Heart) lost 3-0 to
Perth Glory in 2011/12, with Shane Smeltz scoring a hat-trick.

Wellington Phoenix haven’t scored in the first half in their
last five games and have conceded a goal inside the first 15
minutes in five of their last six matches.

Melbourne City haven’t scored more than once in any of their
last six games.

Melbourne City’s sole win against the Phoenix in New Zealand was
the 5-0 victory they achieved in round 19 last season. It remains
the heaviest home loss in Phoenix history.

Route to goal

Goals have been hard to find recently for the previously
free-scoring Phoenix. In the past five games they’ve scored just
four, three of those in one game.

Top scorer Nathan Burns hasn’t netted in those five matches, but
remains the most obvious source of goals and will need to be
carefully marshalled.

Dutchman Roly Bonevacia can also unleash from distance, either
in dead-ball situations or from general play.

Melbourne City have had an astonishing 19 different goalscorers
this season, not only an A-League high, but an all-time Australian
professional record as well.

Midfielder Erik Paartalu this week bemoaned the lack of a
double-digit goal-scorer, but Robert Koren, Josh Kennedy and Harry
Novillo all provide quite different, but equally dangerous
goal-scoring threats. Aaron Mooy is the top-scorer with seven,
including three penalties.

Who’s been in the spotlight this week?

Nathan Burns was rewarded for an outstanding first season in
Wellington at the Phoenix’s annual awards dinner on Tuesday night,
collecting the Golden Boot, Players’ Player of the Year and overall
Player of the Year gongs.

The Phoenix have won just one of their past five matches since
hitting the top of the Hyundai A-League table in late March.
They’ve also lost three of their last four home games.

Melbourne City: LLDDW

Melbourne City haven’t exactly stormed into the Finals Series
either. After three straight wins in March, they’ve collected just
two of a possible twelve points since, including heavy away losses
in the last two weeks.

Did you know?

On his 33rd birthday, Phoenix skipper Andrew Durante will become
the A-League’s third-highest appearance maker of all time, playing
his 222nd A-League match. Only John Hutchinson (228) and Danny
Vukovic (227) are ahead of him.

Prediction

Wellington Phoenix 2 Melbourne City 0

At times this season, Wellington’s football has been sublime and
the equal of any other side in the Hyundai A-League. If they can
recapture that form in the Finals Series, they’ll threaten anyone,
home or away.

Phoenix aside, Melbourne City have beaten all the other sides in
the top six this season, but have struggled away from home, winning
just three of fourteen matches on the road.